1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for separating juice from the pulp of a fruit pomace, and more particularly to an improved juice extractor which may be operated continuously rather than intermittently.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Upon information and belief, the most common type of juice extractor is a press having a platen which may be moved to squeeze fruit against a plate surrounded by a perforated screen and forcibly extract the juice from its pulp. However, such presses are normally operated on an intermittent batch basis, rather than on a continuous basis. Also, because such presses are capable of exerting a great force, high stress levels are developed in the screen, and it is not uncommon for the juice to be clouded with suspended solid particles of the pulp, requiring a subsequent filtration operation to remove or reduce such solids.